Quick update! The Safe Cosmetics Act and EGCG.

Hey everyone! Brooke here, and just thought I would pop by to say hi! We both have been really busy, me with the shop (what else is new) and Pili had her love come to visit her for a while (she lives and Spain, and he in India! Talk about long distance love!) So needless to say, now that school is back in session we should be getting more reviews in the next week or so.

I did however, want to take a minute to bring up two things that I felt we should let our readers know. The first, is in regards to H.R. 5786, the Safe Cosmetics Act, a new bill that was recently introduced here in the US. If it is passed as it is currently written, most if not all of the shops you see featured here will be forced to close their doors. Which for us, and the handmade industry, would be devastating. This link will explain a little better what the bill would mean to the industry.

We would love it if our awesome readers would join us in signing the petition protesting this bill. You can do so here. We love the shops we feature here, and are excited to try new ones, so the thought of this bill being passed makes me really sad, and worried for the future of handmade products.

On a bit of a lighter note, I also wanted to shed some light on an amazing Etsy guild that both Pili and I love deeply. They are the Etsy Green and Clean guild. Their focus is truth in advertising, and full ingredient disclosure. The guild consists of Etsy shops that specialize in soap, perfume, cosmetics, and herbal products. I feel pretty confident to say that any shop that is a member of EGCG is a good bet to get amazing products, with amazing customer service. If you check out their blog, you will see that their roster consists of a good majority of out tried and true favorites! They usually have some amazing sales, scavenger huints, and swag packs during the holidays, as well, so keep your eyes peeled.

The reason I bring this up, is because people are always asking me "Hey Brooke, what is a good _________ *fill in the blank*" Nine times out of ten, I refer them to do a search using the term EGCG on Etsy. So say I am looking for shampoo bars, I would type in "EGCG shampoo bars" Or for cupcake lotion I would do a search for "EGCG cupcake lotion". I have a dear friend who is SEVERELY allergic to milk, and anything containing dairy protein. This comes in useful should you have allergies, or sensitivities. Some Etsy sellers omit ingredients or will just not list them at all. This is a tried-and-true way to find what you need, and be confident that you know what is in your product!

Until next post,

May all of your days be filled with delicious bubbles!

CLOSED!!!!!!!SUPER HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY! Self-Inflicted DIY Bath and Body gift basket!

***this giveaway has been closed**

I have been so excited about this giveaway for some time now, ever since I talked to Heather about doing it.  The time has FINALLY arrived! This is YOUR chance to WIN a huge gift basket of awesome bath and body products from one of my FAVORITE sellers, Self-Inflicted DIY! And you wannt know what I am totally JEALOUS about? tons of the stuff I WANT TO KEEP! It is killing me, but I am so excited that I get to share the love with our readers here at Two Girls!

Heather startted making soaps and bath products a little over a year ago, and Pili and I already loved her from DIY Scene.  So it was just the next step for me to try out some of this soap she was yakking about. WELL, lemme tell you what. I am not one to be completely sold on a product from the get-go.  This time it was different.  I am being completely honest that I have only once used something OTHER then her soap on Gory since the day he was born.  Once.  For a week.  Never again.

When Gory was diagnosed with contact dermatitis, and eczema, the doctor was actually AMAZED with how LITLE of his skin was actually flaking off.  She told me that I should be using oatmeal soap, and I told her about Self-Inflicted, and even SHE was amazed! It works wonders on Gory's skin, on my skin, hell- we are just a Self-Inflicted family!

Greg and I worked on compiling a list of why we love her soap so darn much.  Here is what we came up with:

Heather creates the soaps in small batches, and that ensures that all her soap is mixed really well, and evenly.  We have purchased soaps from other shops, and sometimes, you can tell the ingredients have settled weird, or unevenly. NEVER with Self-Inflicted. They are always perfect.

The scents she has are AMAZING! If you want to know what Gory smells like, seriously, grab a bar of her Vanilla Bean.  Yep, that is what he smells like! Like a little vanilla cupcake! Greg SWEARS it is the only soap he will use for Gory, and Greg really cannot STAND any of my DIY stuff.  THis is the only product he loves.  So I guess it is husband approved! ;)

She has amazing customer service, and will work with you if you have any special requests, or concerns.  All her products are handmade with lots of love, and all ingredients are vegan.  So no animals were hurt in the making of your soap, or it's components!

It is amazing for sensitive skin, even WITH the scent! Both Gory and I have SEVERLY sensitive skin, and her soaps are VERY fragrant, and neither one of us has EVER had a problem, nor has anyone that I have given her soap to. 

So, on with the giveaway! Heather has so generously given us a large collection of amazing products for us to give to one lucky reader! You will have a few ways to enter, and the more entires you have, the better your chance is to win!

Included in the giveaway package are as follows:

1 bottle of Vanilla Buttercream Bubble Bath
1 large snowflake Oatmeal soap in Drunken Christmas
10 Mini Olive Oil Soaps in Drunken Christmas
1 Soy Wax candle in a decorative Snowman Mug in Maple Pecan scent
*with a tag that is completely recycled, and contains flower seeds in it! Just plant the ENTIRE tag in the spring, and you have a ready, made garden!
1 Croched Bath Sets in Tan made from Organic Cotton
(this includes 1 drawstring Soap Saver bag, 1 Washcloth and 5 Face cloths)

I have packed all of these goodies in a cute round peppermint candy box! Perfect for a gift FOR YOURSELF!  Seriously, the winner will not want to give this away, bellieve me!

Want to win? Here are the ways you can enter!
*leave a seperate comment for each entry, please!

Head on over to Self_inflicted DIY's Etsy shop.  Take a look around, and come back here, and leave a comment telling us what item YOU would love from Santa under your tree this year!
This entry must be completed first, or all other entries will not count!

Heart Self-Inflicted SIY's shop on Etsy, and leave your Etsy name as a comment.
Follow Self-Inflicted on Twitter
Follow Self-Inflicted's blog
Follow Two Girls and a Bar of Soap blog publicly.
Make a purchase from Self-Inflicted and recieve 5 extra entires! Leave one comment PER entry!


Tweet about the giveaway! Up to 4 tweets per day allowed, come back and leave a comment linking to each tweet!

Win a bath and body gift basket from 2 Girls blog and @self_inflicted full of tons of smelly goodies! http://bit.ly/8mrafl #giveaway #Etsy

This contest is open worldwide. The giveaway ends December 18 at 8PM CST.  Winner will be chosen via a random number generator, and will be notified promptly.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen.

Banning the stinky boy pits

As you know, one of my previous blogs was reviewing the various natural deodorants that I have used, and the ways I have pushed their breaking point!  Well, also being a mommy, I want the best for my kiddos as well.  This would not only be limited to the handmade soaps and shampoos that I use for them, but also their laundry detergent (Rockin Green or BUST!) dish detergent, and yes.....deodorant.

Now.....I do not know how many of you are familiar with a 9 year old boy's pits.  And I am not sure any of you WANT to be familiar with them.  Cause believe me, I wish I was not.  There are not words to describe the stench that comes from a pre-teen boy's body, not to mention the SMELL that comes out of their pits as they go to give you a hug after running around at gym the last class of the day.

BUT, there was no way I was going to subject him to wearing something that has aluminum in it, or anything that could harm him, his body, OR his skin! The product needed to be "boy friendly" and none of this "my mom is a weirdo" stuff, that would have his friends rolling their eyes, and calling me a granola.

First, I did a search on Etsy for "masculine smell" , and came across this Pink Parchment Soap.  They had a scent called Bay Rum, and said it is a favorite with men.  SOLD!

But what about his pits?  This was gonna be a rough one. I then stumbled across Soap.  Yep, plain and simple.  They make a deodorant called Ban Stinky Armpits.  PERFECT!  Cause that is EXACTLY what I needed to do! But they make ANOTHER one called VANQUISH Stinky Pits, which is a bit stronger then the previous one! Sold!  I purchased the Black scent, and waited.

When both the soap and deodorant came, both actually arrived quite quickly! The Bay Rum soap worked PERFECTLY in the shower, and Evan loved the smell!  It also lasted quite some time, which is a plus when the boys are using it, because they will scrub and scrub to no end in there, and then the soap will be gone in less then a week!

The big test was the deodorant.  Evan is VERY difficult to get to do ANYTHING in the morning, and forget telling him to take his vitamins, or put on deodorant!  But he is actually excited to put this stuff on!  It smells good, but not overpowering! I feel good, knowing it is safe, and does not have aluminum in it. He does need to re-apply it once or twice during the day, as I do also, with mine from Spa Therapy Works, but that is the price you pay for being safe!  Plus, Soap now offers Mini Pit Love, which are travel sized, so I think I might grab some of those, and toss it into his backpack for at school!

I would reccoment Soap and Pink Parchment to anyone that has a young son or daughter.  Really, buying handmade shold not just be all about pampering us, but also, our kids!

EGCG Swag Bag: DressGreen!

Both Brooke and myself have been on a quest of trying to find the PERFECT moisturizer for quite a long time, and apparently we got it sent home, in sample size, with the EGCG Swag Bag!

I have tried a variety of creams, body butters and lotions, from Lollibomb's whipped body frosting that was a bit too thick for me (and somehow ended up leaving my skin a bit dry nonetheless), through some other body butters and whipped body frostings and lotions. Of all the body frostings I've tried my favourites are Spa Therapy's, but they are a bit greasy, and take a lil to be absorbed, not much, but not instantly either, so I just reserve them for the thick of the winter, when my skin gets very dry, and the lotions are nice, but sometimes my skin needs something a bit thicker... picky much, huh?

Well, I got a sampler of DressGreen's body cream in EGCG Swag Bag, tried it and OH LA LA! Thick but not too much, spreads very easily, and best of all, absorbed instantlly!! You might be wondering why is it so important for me, but I don't want to have to wait for the skin to absorb the moisturizer for long, or if in a hurry, having to fight the jeans up cause they get sticked to the legs!

After using up all the sample, I had to ask Brooke if she had tried it, and she had, and not only that, she was as in love with it as I was! Four thumbs up, then!

I decided to go and order the full, 8oz size and although she didn't have the Pomegrante Juice scent at that moment, I went for the Blackberry Sage one, and also decided to indulge myself and get to try her Lip Lush, a lip balm with some colour & shimmer.

The package arrived today, and the body cream is as brilliant as the sample was, and I love this scent too! I want to try the Orange Blossom one next!

The Lip Lush is available in 4 different colours: Sultry, Sassy, Tricky and Lusty. I got myself Tricky, with a coppery brown shimmer, and I must say I love it! I love the fresh smell of it, the taste it leaves, it's not a foodie taste/scent, but smells & tastes nice and fresh, and not one of those waxy/oily tastes you get sometimes in lip balms that contain beeswax or different combination of non-vegan oils. It does give a lil bit of colour and shine, perfect for a lil dolling up for your everyday and informal needs! I'm already planning to get another, as soon as the shop is open again!

Lauren (DressGreen's owner and one woman show) was also so kind as to send me a sample of one of her facial soaps, that I intend to try this week.

Stay tuned for more reviews of awesome B&B products by Brooke & yours truly!

EGCG Swag Bag: Shower Treat Soap

Alright, I know some of you are rolling your eyes at me, thinking YEAH RIGHT! She is all green, that dirty hippy, of course she would LOVE the handmade laundry soap they sent in the swag bag. But let me tell you a secret. I live with 3 boys, my husband, Greg, who is NOT a fan of handmade AT ALL (makes me wonder...) my 9 year old son Evan, and Gory, who is almost 3 months old. Now, for myself or Gory to try something that is new, and handmade is a no-brainer. For Evan to try something that is handmade, a little difficult, but pretty easy when bribing is involved. But Greg? Not on your LIFE! This is the guy that showers with nothing but Irish Spring (YUCK) and has big brand-name loyalty that is outrageous!

So when I spied that I had gotten some of Shower Treat's laundry soap in the swag bag, I got ALL nervous! I had the soap hearted for who knows HOW long, but did not have the guts to try it yet. I thought to myself "Really, how good can it be? I mean, laundry detergent is just that, heavy duty, strong enough to get rid of the grime of the gnarly boys that I live with, and make it seem to the outside person that they are clean and smell good!" Right? I mean, that is the point of laundry soap, to clean the clothes, and leave them fresh smelling. And that had me worried. What if I try it and it does not work? I have to do the whole load over again, that would suck. Well, let me put your mind at ease.......

This soap works AWESOME! Laura has been making soap for over 12 years, and she knows how to make quality products that will stand up to the rigors of family life. This powered soap is made of simple ingredients, not a huge long list of crap that I cannot pronounce, let alone know what the chemicals are, like in store-bought detergents. So I sat and thought, if we wash our clothes in detergent from the store, and it has all of these chemicals in it, how much is left on our clothes, for our skin to absorb off our clothing? I totally feel safe washing the baby's clothes in it, as well as the rest of the family's!

Now, back to the hubby. Greg is the one that usually does the laundry around here. Do not misunderstand, I said DOES, not fold or put away. But he washes them. So I thought there would be a HUGE problem with getting him to *gasp* try something handmade and new to wash our stuff in. It took some convincing, but finally he caved. Now, I need to forewarn some of you, this is a POWDER laundry soap, not liquid. It is not gonna get all foamy and bubbly (but this will make it compatible for your HD washing machine). But it will gently wash your clothes, and leave them smelling really fresh and clean! There is no need for fabric softener in the dryer or washer, either, it leaves the clothes THAT soft. You can even purchase some with essential oils or fragrance oils in them. In the swag bag there was Rosemary Peppermint. Now...not only did it make my laundry smell amazing, but while the wash was in the dryer, it made the HOUSE smell amazing! Not really strong, but a slight fragrance that was noticeable, and very refreshing! And even more surprising, my husband LOVED IT! He really liked the soap, and the clothes were surprisingly clean!

You can find the laundry soap for sale in their Etsy shop. They offer a sampler set, if you are undecided if this soap is going to work for you, which I would recommend to start off with. Also in their Etsy shop, they have dish soap and liquid dish soap. Those are next on my list to try!

*Thanks to Pili, who took the pictures of her soap for me to use for this review. I can review soaps all day, but ask me to take a picture, and I fail!

First of MANY EGCG reviews! Sweet Creek Herbs soap!

So, Pili and Iwere REALLY excited to hear that the Etsy Green and Clean Guild was going to be offering their swag bags again for spring! We both marked our calenders, and waited patiently. Well, in the meantime, the EGCG also announced that as a promotional event, they were going to be sponsoring an Easter egg hunt, where you go through participating shops, and search for the hidden eggs in the listings! (hearting stuff along the way, of course!). So not only did I WIN one of the Easter egg prizes, but I also ordered a swag bag and they both arrived on the SAME DAY! Talk about a fun filled night! I sniffed and tested my way though some of the goodies, took some pictures, and started making a list of items that I was going to review. I had never heard of Sweet Creek Herbs before any of this, and I got an unscented olive oil bar in one bag, and a chamomile shampoo with silk bar in the other!



Well, you all know me, I see unscented and I think "HEY! I can use this on Gory! He can test it!"I don't even know where to start with this soap. The pediatrician had told me at Gory's 1 month check-up that using olive oil on his skin may help with his dry, problem skin. This kid is allergic to EVERYTHING, from laundry soap, to diaper wipes. So I tried out the soap on him to see how it was gonna fly. I LOVE this soap! It goes on smooth, there is not much lather, but it almost melts into the skin. It is not "oily" but more like the consistency of an ointment in dry bar form. Gory's skin is not a heck of a lot better, and I am now using it on my dry legs! I really have to say, that this soap is almost like a miracle for dry, rough skin! I even told my husband, I was SHOCKED at how much this soap has helped both of us! Really, it is pretty amazing!



The shampoo bar, on the other hand, well. I am probably not the best person to test that one out. I tried it, but with my SO severely damaged hair, it literally made it feel like wet noodles. The smell of it was AWESOME, but the way it made my hair feel was not so good. I am thinking of making Evan try it on his gross head, maybe it will smell better then his gross 9-year-old boy smell!



There will be many more EGCG reviews to come, as this is the first of many, but I literally HAD to run over to tell you all about this AMAZING olive oil soap that Sweet Creek Herbs makes! You will be pleasantly surprised!

The Amazing Bare Bumm Bath!

So, here in the world of Two Girls and a Bar of Soap.....we love our soap. It's a given. And between Pili and I, we both agree that this featured seller is one of the best there is to have. So much in fact, that we had to decide between the two of us WHO got to write the review. I won!

So, without further adieu, let me introduce:

Bare Bumm Bathworks!

This shop is run by my wonderful friend Dianne. since being introduced to her amazing soaps over a year ago, let me first say this. I have tried MANY other shops on Etsy, and some that are NOT on Etsy. There is really no shop that compares with customer service, size of soap bars, and the satisfaction that you get when you realize that the fragrance from this soap lingers gently on your skin, for hours after you are gone bathing! This is rare, not many soaps do this!

My latest purchase from the shop included Carribean Beach and Acai and Mangosteen. When they both arrived, I could SMELL the goodies from outside the packaging, which is always secure, and my soaps have never been broken or smooshed. Not only did I get the two HUGE bars that I bought, but she usually includes yummy extras of newer scents that she is going to be offering! This time, I got Pineapple Rush, Banana Taffy, and Chocolate Coconut Yummies! she also included some unscented and Lavender soaps for Gory, by 1 month old! (he already smells pretty good, like all babes do, but now he will be SQUEAKY clean!)

Now, here is the thing about Bare Bumm soap. It LASTS! Shower after shower, bath after bath, this soap will last WELL over 3 weeks in my shower! Which is unusual, as I have other shops that I love, but NONE of them have the power to stay around for more then a week, give or take a few days.And at right around five bucks a five ounce bar, that is really saying something! You can't even get that much for that little with a store bought bar of soap!

Also, back in May of 2008, Dianne told me that she was doing the wedding favors for her daughter's wedding. I had just gotten done planning mine, and I was bummed that I could not give MY wedding guests some Bare Bumm soaps, so since I was helping plan a friend's wedding, I decided to use Dianne to make the favors for the shower! Everyone loved them SO MUCH, that the bride even used Bare Bumm soaps for her actual wedding favors, as well! I am sure if you just shoot a convo over to her, she would be HAPPY to help you out!

Both Pili and I will continue to purchase Dianne's amazing soaps, and we are glad that we have such a wonderful seller that provides such amazing products, as well as some of the best customer service I have ever gotten! So run on over, and grab a few bars! Remember, you have the right to Bare Bumms!

Spa Therapy's Facial Care Line

Well, well, well, well! Finally I got to write my first review and contribution to this blog!

As a woman, you keep on getting bombarded on TV and magazines and the like with all sort of facial products that promise to keep you younger for a longer time, trying to make you feel the need to look like you were 25 till the day you die. All those products tend to be filled with an obnoxious number of chemicals, most of which the regular customer has no clue what they do, and if they're safe for their skin.

I started using my first moisturizer when I was 16, and decided to go for a French company that claimed all products were made using the best of natural products, and very few chemical products, called Yves Rocher. I kept using it till after turning 25 I started hearing about the whole "once you turn 25 you need to start using anti-wrinkle cream" and about the convenience of getting into a proper facial care routine, with the use of cleanser or soap, toner and the anti-wrinkle cream... Mind you, I've always looked younger than my age, so at 25 I wasn't particularly worried about wrinkles, but working as a nurse takes big toll on everything, included the skin, and you are more prone to bags under the eyes if you work night shift a week every month.

I started looking at other options, feeling not enterily too keen on starting using anti-age or anti-wrinkle cream, so when my favourite B&B shop on Etsy started offering a facial care line, I jumped at the chance and tried it all! First I had a conversation with Jussara, the owner of Spa Therapy, about what she'd recommend, and she was amazing explaining all about her products!

I decided to order a complete facial care set, with a facial soap, toner, serum, day cream, night cream and facial scrub. Let me tell you, I had tried a number of soaps to wash my face, but after a pair of days I had stopped using them, my skin is not particularly problematic, a bit on the dry side, with a pair of pimples sometimes before my period, the only complication of my skin are the times when my atopic dermatitis starts to have a field day when I'm horribly stressed. When that happens, any chemicals can only make it go worse...

I started using my Patchouli Mint French Green clay soap and from day one I loved it! The lather, the smell and how soft my face feels after using it! I have tried another of her soaps, the Dead Sea Mud soap, and although it's a really nice soap, I very much prefer my Green mint soap. It helps my skin a lot when my dermatitis threatens to appear, and my skin doesn't feel dry or patched, and I don't feel lazy about using it, so I can stick more easily to the day & night routine.

After that comes the Antioxidant Aloe PH Balancing Herbal toner, and this toner feels so fresh in my skin! It cleans up all the impurities or rests of lather on my skin, and makes the skin ready for the serum and/or the day cream. It doesn't feel harsh for the skin and seems quite moisturizing in itself. It does help making your face even cleaner after the soap, and prepares the skin to absorb the serum and the cream afterwards.

Now after the toner you can either apply the serum that will help your skin absorb the cream better, or go straight to the moisturizer. I like applying the serum cause it helps with the bag under my eyes, and whenever I come home from working night shift I always apply it before going for my morning nap.

Now, depending on morning or night, you go for your Velvet Day Cream or the Night Repair Cream to finish your routine. The day cream is a thick but not greasy cream, it feels really light when applied but VERY moisturizing! It's not one of those creams when you have to wait for long to apply your mineral make up cause it won't look good otherwise. My skin literally drinks the stuff and feels truly velvety to the touch afterwards! The night repair cream is thicker than the day cream, but it's absorbed equally well, and the skin looks positively glowing and refreshed the morning after.

Now, once a week, it's always recommended to use a facial scrub, to get rid of impurities and clear off dead skin cells. I tried a pair of Spa Therapy's scrubs, and I must say that I'm absolutely in love with the Pink Grapefruit and Guava facial scrub! It has a very fine grain, salty and feels very cleansing and scrubby, but not rough at all, completely non-abrasive. You can also leave it for a few minutes and it'll act as a mask. Once you clean it off, you feel your skin absolutely soft and radiant!

All in all, highly recommended line of facial care, I've always been rather lazy with my facial care, and now with all this wonderful smelling products, I'm looking forward to my twice a day facial care routine.

You can even try the facial care in small sampler sets to see if it works well for you, or even use it as your travelling set, cause her samples comply to the new rules for hand luggage liquid items. I know my set has been to a few airports without a problem! And it's always helpful to have it in your hand luggage, in case the suitcase goes missing by any chance!

Also, if you have any doubts about which of her products would be better for your skin type, you can always ask Jussara, she will always be more than happy to help!

I have found a way to stop fighting my kid to take a bath!

So, my our fellow DIYScene team member, Heather, from Self_Inflicted_DIY started a new venture this winter, with her new shop, Serenity Soap N Shower. So of course, I had to weasel my way over there to grab some of her products to review for the blog, because I am ALWAYS up for a new shop!



So I ordered 2 items, the Body Mist in Vanilla Bean, and the Oatmeal Soap in Vanilla bean. It came VERY quickly, and packaged well in a priority package! She even send some yummy extras for me to try (and blog about, since I WARNED HER! LOL!). I got some bath salts in Fudge Brownie, some bath melts in LoveSpell, bath bombs in cinnabun, exfoliating mini soaps in vanilla cupcake WITH blueberry seeds in them, and some mini vanilla bean skull soaps!



So...where do I begin. First off, let me tell you this. My son galloped into the room within SECONDS of me unwrapping all of the goodies, sniffing like a hound dog. Then he INSISTED to be the first person to use the stuff. Now mind you, this was at 3 in the afternoon on a Saturday! So of course, being the boy mom that I am, THRILLED that my stinky son wants to actually BATHE, I said yes. Since then, he has gone through almost all of the bath bombs, salts, and melts. He also just had me order more soap! I am amazed! Astonished! SHOCKED!





So the next day, after he had taken 2 baths, one with the bombs and Oatmeal Soap, and one with the salt soak and the oatmeal soap, I finally got my turn. That morning, I used the oatmeal soap for my shower. I was a bit concerned about the oatmeal, because it felt really grainy in my hand, but hear me out. Have you ever gotten a bar of soap that says it "gently exfoliates" and then it proceeds to sandpaper your skin off until you feel like screaming? Yep, we have all been there. But not with this soap! After I got done bathing, my skin felt softer then it has in a very long time, and I SMELLED good! The smell stayed with me, but it was not overpowering, it was gentle. I loved it! So Then I spritzed some of my body spray on, and was on my way! The spray was the same thing! Not overpowering, but light, leaving a sweet scent in the air! I loved it!



Now, since my son was taking a nightly bath, and all seemed good in the house, I finally decided to cave. I DETEST taking baths. I think they are weird. Give me a shower any day of the week, and I am good, but NO THANK YOU baths! Ick. The thought makes me shiver. But I decided, well, I have to review this stuff, and I can't base it all on an 8 year old, so why not bite the bullet? Plus, being 8 1/2 months pregnant, my doctor told me that soaking would help with my swelling, and help my skin. So I ran some hot water, melted some of my bath melts in there, and climbed in! At first, it looked like there was oily stuff in the bath, and I COULD NOT figure it out. But it smelled so good, and my legs felt relaxed, so I settled in. Well, let me just tell you, if there ever was a miracle sure for itchy preggo bellies....the bath melts are IT!!!! I climbed out feeling moisturized, and not at ALL greasy! It was amazing!



I am completely sold on Serenity Soap N Shower. Her products are well made, smell delicious, and are a good bang for the buck! Some shops charge you an arm and a leg for a bar of soap that will last a week TOPS in a shower, but this bar has lasted us well over 20 showers, and is not even 1/2 way gone! Highly recommended!

Gudonya Too- The glory of having a dog clean your tresses!

In the world of handmade bath and beauty products, the makers of lotions, soaps, and the like are overabundant. Really, I have some old tried and true favorites that I keep going back to, but in reality, there are MANY to choose from! But when you bring up hair care products....well....that is few and far between. I started to search Etsy and the rest of the Internet, to try and find a shampoo and conditioner that would be able to properly care for my SEVERELY damaged hair.

As a little background, let me start off with the problem I was facing. I have long hair, past the middle of my back. I have been dying it since I can remember, and not dying like "Oh, let me see if this new shade of brown will look good with my new tan sweater!" but more along the lines of "Wow! I wonder if the fluorescent green with the hot pink tips will clash with my studded leather jacket?" So any sort of chemical treatment I would put on my hair involved extensive bleaching, followed by lots of dye and pigments, most of which need to be applied VERY frequently to keep up the color intensity. Currently, my hair is dyed black on the bottom layers, with the top layer being a bleached-out platinum blonde. Literally, the blonde is, as my hair girl puts it "enough to ALMOST strip the hair off your head!"

So, my hair needed help, and lots of it. Plus, I needed something that would NOT strip any of the color OUT of my hair once I had dyed it. In comes Gudonya Too. Their feedback on Etsy is impeccable, and I had heard from Nicole and Redd, both from DIYScene, that their shampoo was VERY different, but awesome! So I figured, hey, what can it hurt?

I ordered the Salty Dawg Creme Shampoo in Wild Strawberries scent. The fact that they touted the scent as "not that plastic strawberry scent that most products have" I was sold. I also ordered the Intense Hair Conditioner, in the same scent. When thy came in the mail, I was so SHOCKED at the packaging! It was so well packaged, in a first class envelope with another sturdy cardboard box inside! There was NO WAY this stuff was getting smooched! They also added in a little free sample of soap, that they also carry in their shop!

I immediately ran to the shower to try out my new goodies. The Salty Dawg IS very different. Think a salt scrub for your hair. When I first put it on, it was very grainy, and did not go anywhere. But the instructions that came with it said to add water after you apply it to your hair. I did, and BOOM! Suds like I have NEVER had before! I mean, you literally only need a tiny little dab of this stuff, even on my long hair, to give you enough bubbles and suds to do the job! And them smell is fantastic! Kinda like jumping into a strawberry margarita! The texture of my hair after I rinsed was unique. If you have ever been swimming in the ocean, and gotten out, and let your hair air dry, that is how I can best explain it. Your hair is so squeaky clean, if you wanted to just leave it unconditioned, you would for sure get that tousled, just went surfing look! With the conditioner (which smells just as good, BTW) my hair feels and looks about the healthiest it has been in a very long time! The conditioner does not leave my hair all greasy looking, but it is also not one of those conditioners that make you wonder if you might have forgotten to even put the conditioner on!

All in all, I have to say, I am sold on Gudonya's hair line. They have many other scents that I can't wait to try, as soon as my current Salty Dawg has gone doggie heaven! Even more exciting is the fact that their hair line is so popular, they are planning the opening of the Gudonya Too Dawg Shop, dedicated to their hair care line!

Clean. Stay.
Good dawg!
RUFF!